09 I ME BEFORE YOU I Film Discussion

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Watching this movie in the cinema was a tainted experience for me.

I was absolutely delighted when I saw that I was going to be seated in an empty row, only to be appallingly disappointed to find that the row above and below me were both occupied by a bunch of energetic high-schoolers (I'm a less energetic high-schooler). So yeah, I was basically sandwiched. In some emotion scenes of the film, I could hear the guys embarrassingly make jokes to hide their teary whimpers. In some romantic scenes, I could hear squirming, laughing and whispering. At one point, a guy behind me shouted, "Get a room!"

Xby TurboMac

He's referring to our two leads. They're falling in love. The girl is a clumsy klutz; the guy is a cold humbug. The catch? He wasn't always that way – not before the road accident that paralyzed his body, but spared his boyish face. Now, he hates his life. The girl didn't meet him in a restaurant or a coffee shop; they didn't have romantic small talks and he didn't pick up her handkerchief on a windy day. She's a hired help – a caretaker. He doesn't want her. But she insists. She really needs the money.

From that plot alone, you should be able to tell, this is not a usual romantic comedy

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From that plot alone, you should be able to tell, this is not a usual romantic comedy. Or at least the story isn't. This can be a good thing, or a bad thing for the film. Good thing, in that I won't be as bored (I cannot stand romantic comedies, unless they're done really well). Bad thing, in that the bar is set pretty high. The movie is no longer competing against Twilight or Fifty Shades or Love Actually, but against Forrest Gump, 50/50, and the Theory of Everything.

Xby TurboMac

The movie has to be really emotion and tightly directed. The scenes have to be pulled together very well. The script has to be smart. The performances must be on par – especially for the disabled character. What more, this movie is trying to be one of those drama that uses lighthearted and comedic tone to convey its more sombre message. This requires it to be a really great movie to fully succeed. And although, it didn't fully succeed in my opinion. It is not by any means bad.

First of all, the performances are near superb. The girl in this movie is charming as hell. The film relies very heavily on her energy. The character is written as this really hyperactive, chatty optimist – a misstep here can produce a very annoying performance. But Emilia Clarke delivered. Her performance is filled with passion. She works with her body a lot as well as with her face. A great part of the performance therefore is physical but at the same time she keeps her verbal deliveries are perfect to the last pitch.

Sam Claflin did really well in portraying the guy. His performance has to be more restraint. He has a lot less to work with. But he made me feel for him. Towards the end, there are some really good performances coming out of him.

The chemistry is there. You feel their romance. You believe that they are growing together as a couple. Happy scenes are happy because their performances sell the charm. Sad scenes are sad because their acting sell the emotions.

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